Regulating against medicines misinformation is among a number of recommendations to governments made by FIP in a new statement of policy on the strategic development of medicines information, published today. “This statement of policy replaces one published by FIP in 2017, taking into account the increasing use of digital information sources, including artificial intelligence, and putting a stronger emphasis on the role of pharmacists to lead in this area,” said Boyan Todorov, president of FIP’s Health and Medicines Information Section and co-chair of the policy committee that developed the statement.

Pharmacists should utilise their expertise to create effective medicines information strategies while establishing their role as a trusted partner for other healthcare practitioners and the primary resource for obtaining accurate and unbiased medicines information, FIP says. In addition, the federation calls for the establishment of medicines information centres operated by specialised pharmacists to offer medicine-related information. The policy also makes recommendations for other stakeholders, including education providers, the pharmaceutical industry and FIP member organisations.